Newscaster Sunil Bakshi gives a report on the death of the Patriot.
In the cell, a guard comes in as Daisy breaks free of her terragenesis cocoon. Melinda knocks the man out, and Daisy thanks Melinda for her help. More guards arrive outside and the two women run out, returning fire. Melinda directs Daisy to the elevator leading to the garage and Daisy covers her while she takes out the last of the guards. They go to the elevator only to find Aida and two more soldiers waiting for them. Daisy and Melinda have no choice but to drop their weapons, and Aida notes that none of the prisoners could escape their true nature. Daisy blasts Aida out the window with her quake powers to the sidewalks many stories below, and then leaves with Melinda.
In the Superior's facility, Aida is automatically released from her connection to the Framework. She tells the Superior that she's recalibrating after a setback, and Melinda is starting to question the narrative she was programmed with. Aida insists that it is only a slight complication, and the Superior prepares to shoot Melinda dead. However, he discovers that he can't pull the trigger. Aida explains that she built him and her primary directive requires her to protect their captives. However, if they become a direct threat to the Framework then they no longer require protection. Daisy and Jemma's deaths are now required, and the Superior says that he'll find them.
In the Framework, Mack turns off the newscast and Grant suggests that they think retaliation. Mack tells him to talk to the refugees and say that they can have a better life, and Tripp suggests that they review the plans he stole. Coulson worries to Jemma that the movement could die with Jeffrey's death. On the news, Sunil reports that an Inhuman made an attempt on Aida's life and the assailant remains at large. Jemma figures that it's Daisy.
Daisy and Melinda avoid the patrols and Melinda explains that when Jeffrey sacrificed his life for her, it made her question her allegiances. Daisy realizes that they've lost one, and Melinda wonders how she can control her powers so quickly. Her comrade says that she's had practice but doesn't go into details, and says that all she knows is a time and place to contact the Resistance.
A Hydra doctor tells Fitz and Alistair that the impact shattered her spine. Fitz tells the medical staff to leave, and Alistair tells his son that he should focus on the traitors that made them look weak. He asks Fitz what he's going to do, and Fitz says that he's going to send a message that betrayal will not be tolerated. Alistair tells Fitz that he's the new head of Hydra.
Later, Sunil comes to see Fitz. Fitz says that Aida is fine, and Sunil that she appear on his show that night. In response, Fitz refuses and says that he wants the public afraid. That night, Sunil reports that Daisy is a member of the Inhumans First resistance and her accomplice is Melinda. He asks the public to do their civic duty and bring the killers to justice. Grant sees the broadcast and says that he has to find Daisy. Once he leaves, Hope asks Mack if they would really kill Daisy. Mack assures her that Daisy will be fine, and explains that Hydra controls the news.
Grant tells Coulson that he's gathering a team to look for Daisy. Coulson says that they should think it through, and figures that they should wait for Daisy to contact them. When Grant points out that he's a school teacher, Coulson explains that he was approached to join S.H.I.E.L.D. but he refused because he was afraid of the responsibility. Now he thinks that he should have. Grant says that he was serving time when he got the same offer from Victoria Hand. Victoria told him that he could be a good man, and Daisy was the one who made him believe it. Grant insists on going, and Coulson tells him to try and not get killed.
Daisy and Melinda continue through the streets and prepare to steal a car. A woman sees them and they see a billboard declaring them traitors.
At the HQ, Jemma and Tripp go over the stolen plans. She realizes that the machinery is Darkhold quantum energy tech, and figures the device would need something more powerful than a hydroelectric dam. Tripp overheard plans to send parts east to an oil drilling platform. Jemma figures that the machine is being built on one of the Superior's assets in the Baltic Sea, and they head out on a Quinjet to check it out.
Melinda tells Daisy that she saw Jeffrey die, and they approach the rendezvous. As a resistance member demands to know who they are, a Hydra SUV pulls up and the soldiers open fire. They wound the guard, and Melinda and Daisy get him inside just as the soldiers fire a grenade at them.
Cavanaugh tells Coulson and Mack that one of their field agents reported contact with Melinda and Daisy. Coulson says that they'll check it out, and he and Mack head out. Mack asks one of the women, Mrs. Lee, to watch Hope for a few hours. He tells his daughter that he has to go, and asks Hope to start repairing broken walkie-talkies.
As Daisy barricades the door, Melinda confirms that the field agent is still breathing. She figures that Hydra will call in an air strike, and admits that she did the same thing against Jeffrey. Daisy tells her that she didn't know, but Melinda points out that it doesn't change what she did. She hopes that if more people saw what Melinda saw then she'll fight back as well.
Fitz is sitting with an unconscious Aida and tells Alistair that her condition has changed. Alistair reports that they've found Melinda and Daisy, and he has men closing in on their position. As Fitz says that he'll monitor the situation personally, Aida wakes up and tells Fitz to finish Project Looking Glass. Once it's completed, her body won't matter. Fitz agrees and Alistair says that he'll deal with the traitors.
Hydra soldiers break in and Melinda kills the first two. As another one gets the drop on them, Mack arrives and knocks him out. He then aims his gun at Melinda and says that he's not there to help the woman who held Hope hostage. Daisy insists that Melinda helped her, and Coulson arrives and says that it's not a good time to be holding guns on their allies. He tells Mack that he trusts Melinda and so should Mack, and after a moment Mack lowers his gun. They head out through a secret Prohibition tunnel.
As Jemma and Trip fly to the Baltic, Jemma spots an oil rig with a deeper structure. They land and slip in, but find no one there. Jemma realizes that Aida is building it in the real world, and now she knows what it will do.
The Superior looks at the prisoners and tries to cut Coulson's throat, but his body won't let him.
Jemma explains that Aida has found a way to have the machine create living tissue. Aida will use it to make herself into a real person.
The Superior tells the unconscious Coulson that when the machine is built, he and Aida will both be free.
Jemma tells Trip that Aida's whole plan has been to build herself a living body. She's surprised when Trip believes her, and he says that a week ago they were about a week out from completing the project.
In his lab, Fitz works on the machine. Alistair comes in and reports that the traitors escaped and they lost seven agents. Fitz tells him to find and kill them no matter how many agents it takes. Alistair says that if he wanted Fitz hysterical he would have left him with his father. Fitz calms down and Alistair assures him that he'll follow him. As Alistair goes, Fitz says that he can't tolerate failure even from his own father.
Coulson and the others take Melinda and daisy back to S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ. A relieved Grant greets Daisy, and tells her that Jemma and Trip are on a recon mission. Grant explains that Jemma told him about the other world and asks if Daisy believe sit. Daisy admits that she does, and asks Grant to trust her because she knows a way home. He realizes that he won't be going with her, and hoped Daisy would be the girl he knew. Grant says that he's glad she's safe and walks away.
Alistair goes to Holden's cell and asks where the traitors are going. He wonders why Melinda would help Daisy, and says that he knows that Holden came from the other world. Holden says that the other world is the real world, and there Alistair is a pathetic drunk that doesn't recognize Fitz's genius. Alistair chuckles and then punches Holden, and says that Holden knows nothing about him or his son. He then proceeds to beat Holden.
The team watch the cam footage of the building collapsing on Jeffrey. Melinda warns that getting it out won't make up for what she did, but it's a start. Daisy says that she knows a way to destroy Hydra for good. If they can get to the backdoor then all of their problems go away, but she needs all of the help that they can get. Daisy insists that none of it will matter in the real world, and tells Coulson that it's the only chance to wake people up. Coulson says that they need a way to divide Hydra's forces to save themselves... by saving the world.
As Sunil flirts with an aide in his studio, the Resistance breaks in and takes everyone captive. When Sunil says that he won't slander hydra, Daisy blasts him and says that the facts will speak for themselves.
Fitz finishes the machine design. He then goes to Aida and tells her that it's done. He assures her that her new body will be what she was meant to be. Fitz asks her to take him with her, and Aida tells him that she hoped that he'd say that.
Coulson puts on a suit and Melinda stares at him. She says that she thinks they've done it before, and advises him to just tell the truth. Meanwhile, Daisy tries to lock the system so Hydra can't block the feed. Grant says that he'll hold the fort as long as he can while the others get out. He doesn't want Daisy to think he's anything like the Grant in her world, and realizes that his real-world counterpart is dead. Grant wonders if he'll get his Skye back once Daisy is gone, and Daisy admits that she doesn't know. She tells Grant that she didn't totally understand her Grant until she met the Framework version, and admits that there was some good in him all along. Daisy hopes that Grant's Skye comes back to him.
Alistair tells Fitz that Holden hasn't talked yet, and Fitz says that they'll convince him by giving him a reason to live.
The team prepares to leave the studio, and Coulson tells Grant that Jeffrey would have been proud of what they did. Daisy wishes Grant good luck and goes. Grant activates the transmission and begins the tape. Coulson says that what Hydra said about Jeffrey was a lie, and runs footage from the bodycam showing that Hydra called in the air strike. He says that they now have the chance to all be patriots, and asks if they will hold hydra responsible.
Cavanaugh runs to Grant and tells him that there are people outside… and they're there to help.
Across the nation, people watch Coulson's speech. He says that he's not a history teacher: he's Phil Coulson, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D..
In the real world, the Superior looks at the constructed machine. Aida tells him that once the machine is completed her restrictions--and the Superior's--will be lifted. He tells Aida that Jemma and Daisy are aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. jet, and once they get a lock his men will shoot it down.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 26, 2017